1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to decorative pottery articles and a method of making them and, in particular to composite pottery articles wherein a selected object is incorporated into a pottery article.
2. Background and Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the field of ceramic art or pottery, there is a continual effort to find new and desirable decorative effects and methods to create such effects. From the standpoint of the consumer, one such desirable and decorative effect may be achieved when an object of particular interest to the consumer is incorporated as a visible three dimensional constituent in the outer surface of the pottery, as opposed to being merely a two dimensional surface decoration . Thus, for example, a tourist visiting a site of volcanic activity, such as Hawaii, might find a decorative pottery article even more attractive as a momento of a trip if the pottery displayed, as a visible constituent, a piece of lava rock from a local volcano. However, the incorporation of an object such as a lava rock as a constituent in a ceramic or pottery article is difficult since the physical properties of lava rock are different from those of the materials used in the manufacture of pottery articles and may be incompatible therewith as well as unsuitable for the conditions of manufacture of the pottery. For example, a lava rock, incorporated in potter's clay may loosen and separate, or cause the pottery article to crack as a result of shrinkage during drying and firing. As a result, the decoration of a pottery articles is generally restricted to creating such decoration in the form of a two dimensional design on the surface of the pottery or encapsulating a three dimensional object within a thick glass surface layer of a composite glass and ceramic article. The latter approach can result in problems of incompatibility of the encapsulated object with the material of the thick glass layer as well as the ceramic.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,158,863 describes a process for applying an ornament or design to a pottery article and subsequently baking the design onto the surface of the pottery.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,357,399 discloses the manufacture of composite glass and ceramic articles wherein a surface element may be encapsulated within a thick glass outer layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,246,052 discloses a process of making a mosaic by forming the mosaic design by molding or routing prior to firing and avoiding the necessity of placing individual pieces of the design in place.
It is an object of the present invention to provide pottery or ceramic articles having incorporated into the article a decorative object.
It is a further object to provide a method for incorporating selected objects into a pottery or ceramic article.
It is a still further object to provide a method for producing a decorative pottery article having a selected rock incorporated into the pottery article.
It is as still further object to provide a decorative pottery article having incorporated therein a selected rock.